Tube gauge



June 1950 c. H. WOODCOCK ETAL 1 2,512,986

TUBE GAUGE Filed June 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inveniam HliesiChqrlgids' 1114 820460611: W Kyl Mlluzm H1 Sting/er 7w MM WT W Theirflii fl y Patented June 27, 1950 TUBE GAUGE Charles H. Woodcock,Philadelphia, and William H. Stinger, Folcroft, Pa., assignors to TheAtlantic Refining Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application June 19, 1946, Serial N 0. 677,836

3 Claims. (Cl. 33178) The invention relates to improvements in devicesdesigned to measure the internal diameter of tubes, pipes, and the like.Such device is further adapted for the accurate determination of thebore of any hole or opening.

In certain industries, such as petroleum refining and chemicalproduction, the processes employed frequently require the use ofapparatus involving tubular heating elements. Where such elements areused, for example, in connection with oil heating and cracking, thewalls thereof are reduced internally by the action of heat and corrosivematter present in the fluids that pass through the tube. It is,therefore, vitally important that means be available whereby theinternal dimension of the tube can accurately be measured to detect suchreduction in wall structure, not only to prevent disastrous blowouts butalso to obtain maximum use of a member before replacement thereof.

Furthermore, because of its use in workshops, refineries and similarplaces'in which it will be subjected to rough treatment, hard usage, andextremes of temperature, a gage to be practical must be of ruggedconstruction and adapted to withstand such treatment and conditionswithout loss of accuracy. It should also be designed to obtain accurateresults even though handled by relatively unskilled labor.

A great problem in connection with the use of such gages as haveheretofore been known has arisen in the petroleum industry in themeasurement of the bores of long, vertically disposed, tubes or pipessuch as the vertical furnace tubes of a De Florez still. In an attemptto solve this problem, sections have been added to conventional gages inan effort to elongate such gages to the length necessary to measure thebore of the entire tube. Such attempts, however, have met withdifficulty in transmission of motion from the gage head to the indicatorlargely due to excess friction or sagging of the extension. Furthermore,these attempts have been unable to overcome such practical difficultiesas size, weight, and unwieldiness of the elongated gage. In the presentinvention, such difiiculties have been overcome by freeing the indicatorfrom the limitations inherent in the gage when such indicator ismechanically coupled with the gaging mechanism itself.

One of the objects of the invention, therefore,

is to provide means for obtaining an accurate measurement of theinternal dimensions of tubes or the like, such measurement being shownre- 2 motely from the gage itself by electric means indicating diametricmeasurement Another object of the invention is to provide a tube gagecontaining means whereby longitudinal movement of one element can betranslated into rotation of another element, such rotation beingproportional to such longitudinal movement. 3

Another object of the invention is to provide means for obtaining anaccurate measurement of the internal diameter of a tube, said meansbeing of sufiiciently rugged construction to with.- stand roughtreatment andadapted to work efficiently even when operated byrelatively unskilled labor.

Other objects of the. invention will readily be apparent from thedescription and claims which follow. 1

In the drawings like numerals are used to designate like parts.

Figure 1 is an elevational view exemplifying the device. v

Figure 2 is a view of the device partially in cross section.

Figure 3 is an end view of the device taken along the line 33 of Figure2, the elements l0, I6, and 2| being removed.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the gage lpin designated as 22 inFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a top view of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an end view of the housing designated as I0 in Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of Figure 6.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown a casing, comprising cap member l afiixed tobody member 2 by 41001115 3, or by othersuitable means. One end offlanged element l is frictionally held within body member 2 as at 5.Flanged element 4 is provided with a longitudinal slot formed therein asat 6; Sleeve 1 is slidably mounted on flanged element 4 relative to suchslot. EX- ternal flange 8 is formed on one end of flanged element 4 andhas apertured plate 9 disposed adjacent thereto. Adjoining plate 9 ispositioned a housing I0 provided with a transverse channel ll, apertureI2, and recess l3. Dowel pins l4 provided on housing l0 extend throughcorresponding holes l5 in apertured plate '9 and flange 8. Housing [0,apertured plate 9 and flange 8 are fastened together by bolts I 6, or byother suitable means.

Slidably disposed within flanged element 6 is operating rod l1 upon theend of which rod are provided a pair of diagonally crossed plungers l8and IS, the function of which will be described hereinafter. Operatingrod I! is connected to sleeve 1 by bolt 20, or by other suitable means,

such means extending freely through longitudinal slot 6 in the wall offlanged element 4.

Diagonally crossed plungers l8 and [-9 are adapted to extend throughapertured plate 9 and aperture I22 in housing I A hollow capmember 21 isfrictionally fitted into recess 13 i in outer face of housing I0.

Channel II extending transversely across the inner face of housing I0,in conjunction with, apertured plate 9, forms a passageway wherein arepositioned gage pins 22- and 23. The outer spectively, which areadapted: to make. contact with respect to housing [0. In like manner;any

motion-of the gage pinsas aresult of'any external force tending. tocompel said gage pins' to retreat within housing III will be transmittedthrough the groove-plunger arrangement and force the withdrawalt'ofoperating rod 11- within flanged element 4; "Bearings 28" and 29provided on gage pins, 22 and 23 respectively adjacent the edges ofgrooves 26: and 2'! respectively are adapted to prevent bindin-gasplungers l8 and I9 move slidably in such grooves.

The inner end of operatingrod' H" is provided with external shoulder 30and is recessed asat 3-! to permit-the insertion ofhollow cylinder 32,such hollow cylinder having formedtherewithin a plurality ofinternal-spiral grooves'33. Coacting with such grooves are a pluralityofspiral projections 3'4 providedon the; head of a spindle '35,

the lowerendof which is affixed to opera-tingrod [1 within recess M asat'afiby'set'screw 3l-, or by other suitable means.

Internal seat 38'in flanged elementasupports ball race 39 in which'isrotatably j ournaledhollow cylinder 32, such cylinder being-providedat its upper end with circular projection Mirecessedas at 41. Compressedcoil spring-42-is disposed'with in flanged member-4 between externalshoulder 30 on operating rod H; and ball race 38. Such coil-springisadapted to apply continuous pressure to operating rod l1 to urge gagepins 22 and 2'5 to their extended position. Positioned-within recess 4|and keyed thereto as at 43 is contact arm 44- adapted to rotate withhollow cylinder 32 and'to contact resistance 45, which resistance maycomprise a hollow spool wound withresistance wire, the lower surfaceofthe winding being'uninsulated for contact with arm '44. Y

The upper portion of contact-armmi and resistance 45 are disposed withinhousing depositioned on internal seat 4-! in-body member 2 and affixedto such body member by bolts 48, orby other suitable means. Wire-49'is=connectedwith resistance arm 44- and, passing through insulator 50 inhousing 45 and insulator in cap member I, is connected with asource ofelectric power such as a battery-52'. Battery 52 is, in turn, connectedto current flow indicating means 53, such as a millivoltmeter-,whichinaybe calibrateddirectly in units conventionallydesignating internal diameter. A second wire 54 is connected toresistance 45, passes through insulator 55 in housing 45 and insulator56 in cap member I, and is connected to current flow indicating means 53thus completing the circuit.

The operation ofthe device is asfollows: I Sleeve T slidably mounted onflanged element d is retracted, thereby drawing operating rod I! in thesame direction against the pressure exerted by compressed coil spring 42due to the action of bolt 30 connecting sleeve 1 and operating rod llthrough slot -6. Coincidental with this movement, diagonally crossedplungers i8 and '159'slidablypositioned in grooves 26 and 21 formed ingage pins 22 and 23 respectively, retract said gage pins: into'housingl0, thus facilitating the insention .of the end of the device into thetube, the'internal diameter of which it is desired to measure.

Afterinsertion of the device into the tube, sleeve 1 is released-and;under the-compulsion of compressed 'coil -spring &2, operating rod i1slides forward relative to fianged elem-ent 4. Asa result of themovement of such. operating rod acting through plungers 58- and leanddiagonal grooves 2-6 anolil; in gage pinsZZ and: 23respectively.,said gage pins are projected outwardly through transversechannel I i in housing ie-until rollers 24. and ZE-make contact with-thewall of the tube.

The gage is then lowerediinto. the-tube by a cable (not shown) attachedbyianysuitable means to-cap member l, and-a continuous measurement canbe' obtained during its. -:passageatherethrough. During the measuringprocess, any variation in internal diameter will be transmitted by. gagepins 22- and 23to crossed plungers IB and i9, respectively, therebyactuatingv operating rod Win a longitudinal direction. within flangedelement 4. Due to the movement .ofoperating rod' I l, spindle 35 moveswithin hollow cylinder 32. As a result of thecoactiombetween spiralprojection 34- on spindle- 35 andiinternal. spiral; grooves. 33 inhollow cylinder 32, the longitudinal motion of such spindle istranslatedintoia rotation. of hollow cylinder '32 .journaledrin. ball. race 3.9.

The rotary motion. of hollow cylinder 32. is transmitted through.circular projection All. and key d3 to contact arm Ail: in-contactwithresistance 45. As. the rotation of contact arm. it changes theresistance in the electric circuit, the resulting change in current flowis immediately readable on indicator 53. Since the indicator iscalibrated in terms'of diameter, a .direct reading of the tube diameteris obtained from. the. indicator .53,.-.since current. flow isaafunction .of .resistance,. and.zr.esistance varies. inresponse to changein tube diameter.

The example here given and the particular description set forth aremerely-presented in order toillustrate howthe/invention may heap.-plied. Other forms. and variations coming withinthe scope oftheappend'ediclaims will readily suggest themselves to thoseskilledinatheart.

We claim:

:1- A tube. gage, comprising a casing, an operating rod slidablydisposed within. said, casing. a housing affixed to one; end-ofsaid-casing and having a channelextending transversely thereof, gagepins disposed within saidchannel and partially extending therefrom,means slidably connecting said gage pins and said operating rod andoperable to" retract, said pins within, said sure tosaid-"operating'rod"to urge said pins to their extended position,

means for retracting said operating rod against the pressure of saidspring means. a hollow cylinder having a plurality of internal spiralgrooves formed therein rotatably positioned within said casing, aspindle associated with said operating rod and adapted to coact withsaid spiral grooves to rotate said cylinder Within said casing, andmeans for indicating the extent of the rotary movement of said cylinder,comprising an electrical circuit including a resistance element, acontact arm afiixed to said cylinder and adapted to contact saidresistance element, a current-flow indicating means, and means forenergizing said circuit.

2. A tube gage, comprising a, casing having a slot formed in the wallthereof, a collar slidably mounted on-the casing relative to said slot,an operating rod slidably disposed within said casing, means connectingsaid collar and said operating rod, a housing afiixed to one end of saidcasing and having an aperture in one side wall thereof, diagonallycrossed plungers rigidly afiixed to said operating rod, gage pinspositioned in a channel formed transversely in said housing each suchpin having a slot formed adjacent the inner end slidably engaging aplunger and adapted to correlate the movement of the operating rod withthe gage pin, spring means applying continuous pressure to saidoperating rod to urge said pins to their extended position, a hollowcylinder having a plurality of internal spiral grooves rotatablypositioned within said casing, a spindle associated with said operatingrod and adapted to coact with said spiral grooves to rotate saidcylinder within said casing, and means for indicating the extent of therotary movement of said cylinder, comprising an electrical circuitincluding a variable resistance, a contact arm afiixed to said cylinderand adapted to contact said resistance element, a current-flowindicating means, and means for energizing said circuit. l

3. A tube gage, comprising a casing, an o ei'f ating rod positionedtherein, a housing aflixed to one end of said casing and having achannel extract said pins within said housing, spring means applyingcontinuous pressure to said operating rod to urge said pins to theirextended position, means for retracting said operating rod against thepressure of said spring means, a hollow cylinder having a plurality ofinternal spiral grooves rotatably positioned within said casing, aspindle associated with said operating rod and adapted to coact withsaid internal spiral grooves in said hollow cylinder to rotate saidhollow cylinder within said casing, an electrical means, incuding avariable resistance and a contact means operatively associated with saidhollow cylinder and with said variable resistance in a manner adapted toindicate the extent of said rotary movement of said hollow cylinder.

CHARLES H. WOODCOCK.

WILLIAM H. STING-ER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 52,354 Yeiser Jan. 30, 1866676,044 Locke -1 June 11, 1901 1,449,271 Elliott Mar. 20, 1923 1,553,239Hauser Sept. 8, 1925 1,562,923 Sisson Nov. 24, 1925 1,655,133 Clase Jan.3, 1928 2,150,070 Kregecz Mar. 7, 1939 2,152,880 Dowdy et al. Apr. 4,1939 2,267,110 Kinley et al. Dec. 23, 1941 2,316,877 Maag Apr. 20, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 512,091 Great Britain Aug. 29, 1 939

